Gulf Tower
Gulf Tower | |
---|---|
Andrew W. Mellon | |
Structural engineer | McClintic-Marshall Construction Company |
Main contractor | Mellon-Stuart |
Other information | |
Public transit access | Steel Plaza |
Website | |
rrpittsburgh | |
Designated | 1973[1] |
References | |
[2][3][4] |
The Gulf Tower is a 44-story, 177.4 m (582 ft) Art Deco skyscraper in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[5] The tower is one of the major distinctive and recognizable features of the city and is named for the Gulf Oil Corporation.
Built as the headquarters for the Gulf Oil Company, the structure was designed by the firm of
On June 13, 1974, a bomb was detonated on the 29th floor of the Gulf Tower.
The building was condemned following a fire on May 19, 2021,[9] reopening after repairs six months later. [10]
Lighting
Prior to the late 1970s, the entire multistory "step-pyramid/mausoleum" structure at the top of the building was neon-illuminated, changing colors to provide a
Blue – steady | – | fair & colder temperature | |
Blue – flashing | – | precipitation & colder temperature | |
Orange red – steady | – | fair & rising temperature | |
Orange red – flashing | – | precipitation & rising temperature |
Since 2001, the opening of PNC Park across the Allegheny River, fans have noticed that after Pittsburgh Pirates home-runs, the "beam" light flashes in celebration. Recently it was revealed that the afternoon and evening receptionist at the lobby desk was the one responsible for this fan favorite, following the games on her cabinet radio. The slogan "Flash the beam, Regina – that one's out of here!" has gained popularity among Pirates fans recently.[12]
The KDKA Weather Beacon, the most recent weather beacon to adorn the pyramid atop the tower, was officially dedicated on July 4, 2012. In partnership with KDKA-TV, the Gulf Tower has been retrofit with a modern, automated LED weather beacon that will tell a more complete forecast than ever before. The Design concepts were created & implemented by the Design Team of Cindy Limauro and Christopher Popowich of C & C Lighting, LLC. A Pittsburgh based company. It will also feature holiday displays. Hearkening back to the original 1950's beacon, the entire pyramid will once again change colors at night depending on the current weather conditions. The new color-coded, tiered system works as such:[13]
Floor By Floor Breakdown
- 44th floor – temperature
- 43rd floor – temperature
- 42nd floor – temperature
- 41st floor – precipitation
- 40th floor – humidity
- 39th floor – wind speed
Dark blue | – | <0 °F (−18 °C) | |
Med blue | – | 0 to 32 °F (−18 to 0 °C) | |
Light blue | – | 33 to 49 °F (1 to 9 °C) | |
Amber | – | 50 to 65 °F (10 to 18 °C) | |
Orange | – | 66 to 79 °F (19 to 26 °C) | |
Red | – | >80 °F (27 °C) |
Red purple | – | >.25 in (0.64 cm) | |
Blue purple | – | ≤.25 in (0.64 cm) |
Light green | – | <50% | |
Dark green | – | ≥50% |
Magenta | – | >10 mph (16 km/h) | |
Pink | – | ≤10 mph (16 km/h) |
See also
References
- ^ Historic Landmark Plaques 1968–2009 (PDF). Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
- ^ "Emporis building ID 121981". Emporis. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016.
- ^ "Gulf Tower". SkyscraperPage.
- ^ Gulf Tower at Structurae
- ^ Conti, John (May 4, 2013). "Art Deco style survives in Pittsburgh—if you look around". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- ^ "Loss of Gulf Would Be Costly in Pittsburgh". Beaver County Times. Associated Press. Retrieved March 25, 2016 – via Google News Archive Search.
- ^ "Historic Landmark Plaques: 1968–2009" (PDF). Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
- ^ Craig Smith (March 27, 2010). "Ayers' talk kept quiet at Pitt". The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on July 15, 2010. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
- ^ Lovingood, Chris (June 7, 2021). "Gulf Tower in downtown Pittsburgh slapped with condemnation notice". WTAE. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
- ^ Belko, Mark (November 1, 2021). "Return of a landmark: Downtown's Gulf Tower reopens after May 19 fire". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
- ^ "Gulf Building 1930–1932". City of Pittsburgh. Archived from the original on May 17, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
- ^ "A paperweight maybe?". Postgazette.com. June 13, 2005. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
- ^ "How To Read The KDKA-TV Weather Beacon Atop Gulf Tower". July 2, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
Further reading
- Toker, Franklin (2007). Buildings of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh: Chicago: Society of Architectural Historians; Santa Fe: Center for American Places ; Charlottesville: In association with the University of Virginia Press. ISBN 978-0-8139-2650-6.
- 1987 feature on Tower's history and transition from Gulf Oil
- 1989 news feature
- 1990 news feature
External links
Media related to Gulf Tower at Wikimedia Commons